'Hoax buster': Trump dismisses AI safety fears as China enters the picture
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump has branded himself the “Hoax Buster” while dismissing AI safety fears, even as his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent backs talks on “shared risks” with China.
Trump has compared warnings about AI to claims he has previously called hoaxes, while his administration remains focused on competing with China.
Trump posted the photo of himself on Truth Social Thursday, September 17, as Bessent prepared for meetings with Chinese officials in New York.
Trump's hoax buster message sharpens the contrast
Trump shared a stern, security-heavy photo of himself walking toward the camera with “The Hoax Buster” displayed above him.
The image reinforced his repeated argument that fears about AI are a “hoax.”
In earlier Truth Social posts, Trump said the claim that AI could “take over the World” was a “Hoax.”
He compared those concerns with what he called the “Global Warming Scam,” the “RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA HOAX,” Ukraine and his two impeachment proceedings.
Trump also rejected calls for stronger safeguards, saying the only AI “guardrails” needed were a “strong and smart” president.
The comments came as concerns about AI safety have spread among executives and researchers at major technology companies.
Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark said a third-party-checked “kill switch” may eventually need to be mandatory.
The White House has also framed the AI race in terms of competition with China. Trump wrote a few days ago on his Truth Social that “WHOEVER WINS AI, WINS!” while arguing that opposition to AI and data centers benefited Beijing.
Scott Bessent says US is open to discussing shared AI risks
Bessent told Axios that the United States is open to discussing “shared risks” with China during multi-hour meetings in New York focused on AI, trade, rare earths, and other economic issues.
“The United States remains the leader in AI, and we are open to discussions on avoiding shared risks and avoiding bifurcation of our two systems,” Bessent said.
He added that the talks were expected to cover both open and closed weight models.
The meetings with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are scheduled days before Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s summit in Washington on September 24.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said this week that “All parties should jointly promote the open and inclusive development of AI for good and for all,” as per an Axios report.
It also pushed back on US AI companies’ calls to slow development and warned against “fear-mongering.”
AI executives push for safeguards as debate widens
The debate has intensified as some technology leaders have called for slower development, regulation, or independent monitoring.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for the pace of AI development to slow and be more closely monitored, according to a BBC report.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and xAI owner Elon Musk have also said they agree with proposals for industry-wide deceleration and regulation, as per the report.
Senator Bernie Sanders told BBC Newsnight that “we have got to do something immediately to stop the uncontrolled growth of AI.”
Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman said the company had published guidance on limiting models it is developing because of the current debate.
The discussion followed a viral post by former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon about the possibility of AI wiping out humanity.
Anthropic scientist Evan Hubinger said he believed the possibility of AI causing human extinction “within the next decade” was more than 10%.
